


My Negative Thinking

by Whiskey_With_Patron



Series: Flores Facets [3]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Happy Ending, M/M, Mild Angst, Nico's gonna need some therapy by the end of this series, near panic attack, past toxic relationship, time for some PLOT
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-23
Packaged: 2021-03-10 05:54:45
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,870
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27688577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Whiskey_With_Patron/pseuds/Whiskey_With_Patron
Summary: Nico has his first formal date with Thomas. While Creativity and Heart suggest some rather interesting choices in clothing for him to wear, Nico and his Paranoia disagree and decide to play it safe. However, Nico remains tense for the entire date. He hopes Logic can pull him out of his own head before Paranoia ruins everything.
Relationships: Nico Flores/Thomas Sanders
Series: Flores Facets [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1970398
Comments: 30
Kudos: 99





	My Negative Thinking

**Author's Note:**

> guess who started this in October, stopped writing halfway through, forgot about it, then remembered and wrote just about the entire rest of it within a week? me
> 
> anyway, this wasn't originally planned to be the next part of the series, but i decided whatever, i want to post this because i've got plans for the rest of this series and this is just the beginning of it >:)

Nico was nervous, to say the least. 

Okay, sure, he’d gone on dates (two, to be exact) with Thomas before, but this was a real date. Like, an actual formal black tie sort of deal. Thomas was taking him to a restaurant. And an expensive one at that! Nico didn’t think he was ready, but he so wanted to be ready. He liked Thomas a lot. He wanted this to work. But Nico was sure he would make a fool out of himself in such a fancy place. 

That was probably why Paranoia was clinging to him like a koala all day. 

No, literally. Paranoia had latched his arms and legs around Nico for the entire second half of the day and refused to let go. Maybe he was still on edge from the whole “running-into-Nico’s-ex-at-the-book-fair” incident from a few days ago. Nico hadn’t really been sleeping well since then. Paranoia’s persistence was probably because of Nico’s constant thoughts about his ex. 

Paranoia was also not being helpful whatsoever while the others debated over what Nico should wear. 

Heart burst out of Nico’s closet, holding a red plaid shirt. “What about this? It’s adorable!”

Paranoia leaned over Nico’s shoulder to glare at the shirt. “That’s just going to make you look like a lesbian.”

Nico, who was standing by, watching his facets go through his clothes, turned to look at Paranoia. “What’s wrong with looking like a lesbian?”

“You’re not one.”

Nico shrugged. “Fair enough.”

“Seriously,” Paranoia said. “You would literally look like a girl if not for that dumb goatee.”

Logic strode by the pair, carrying a bundle of clothes in his arms. “Now is not the time to be criticizing Nico’s facial hair. The goatee suits his face. We’re not shaving it.”

Creativity poked his head out of the closet. “You know, neither of you are really helping us decide what to wear.”

“Oh, I’ve already made up my mind,” Logic said. “Nico’s wearing that suit that he wore to his aunt’s wedding a year ago. It still fits.”

Heart’s shoulders slumped. “Aww, that’s no fun.”

“But it’s a restaurant that many wealthy people tend to frequent,” Logic pointed out, carefully laying out his armful of clothes on Nico’s bed. “Many of them wear formal suits to these restaurants. Paranoia thinks we’ll look like a fool if we wear anything else, so this is our safest option.” Logic turned to look at Creativity. “Find us a necktie, will you?”

Creativity rolled his eyes and grumbled, but he turned back to the closet and kept digging around. 

Nico shot a nervous glance at the suit Logic had placed on the bed. “I don’t know if I can pull off a suit anymore.”

Logic raised a brow. “Excuse you, but I am you, and I wear a suit every single day.” He gestured to the business suit he wore. “You will look fine.”

Heart pouted and picked up another plaid shirt. “Can’t we wear something fun?”

“We’re playing it safe,” Paranoia said. “Suit and tie. Nothing else.”

“You’re no fun,” Heart huffed. 

“Good, I’m not supposed to be.” Paranoia let go of Nico and drifted over to the closet, his long cloak brushing against the floor. “Hey Harry Potter, you found a tie yet?”

“I’m looking,” Creativity snapped from somewhere in the closet. “Just give me a...” He gasped. “Oh my goodness.”

“Did you find us a tie?” Logic asked. 

“Even better!” The clothes in the closet rustled as Creativity burst from the mess of fabric. His purple wizard cloak was tangled up in his limbs, and a sweater had draped itself over his head. He shook it off and emerged from the closet, proudly presenting the article of clothing he’d found. 

Heart gasped in excitement. Logic quirked an eyebrow in mild curiosity. Paranoia, however, did not have as calm of a reaction. 

He darted forward and snatched the dress out of Creativity’s hands. “Are you out of your _damn mind?”_ he shrieked, his voice slipping into a demonic reverb. _“He is not wearing that!”_

Logic nodded. “Agreed. A sundress is too casual for such an extravagant venue. Do we have anything fancier in there?”

Nico’s face flushed. “Um, maybe we should just stick with the suit.”

“Nonsense, Nico,” Creativity scoffed. “Why shouldn’t you wear a dress? Why, I remember when we wore them almost every other day, and we looked fabulous.”

Nico took the dress from Paranoia’s hands. “I was sixteen. Let that go already.”

“This is not from when you were sixteen, Nico,” Logic pointed out. “This sundress is from about a year ago. You still wore skirts and dresses on the occasion. The only reason we stopped wearing them entirely is because—“

“Jamie didn’t like them.”

They all turned to look at Heart. His happy attitude seemed to have deflated. He hugged a plaid shirt to his chest and trained his gaze to the floor. The porcelain cracks on one side of his face glared out at the rest of them, a painfully physical reminder of the breakup Nico had gone through over two months ago. 

Logic sighed. “Yes. Nico’s ex boyfriend didn’t want to be seen with someone who looked like a...” His voice trailed off. He cleared his throat. “I will not repeat his exact words. But Nico stopped wearing them altogether because of Jamie.”

Nico balled up the dress and shoved it into the back of his closet. “Look, we’ve got a suit. Let’s stop looking for other stuff and just find a tie. Okay?”

Creativity groaned. “You never let me do anything.” He grabbed Heart’s wrist and pulled him into the closet. “Come on, let’s find a tie.”

Logic straightened his orange-framed glasses. “I have to admit, I would have liked to see how you would look in a dress again, but perhaps it’s for the best. Paranoia obviously doesn’t want you to express yourself genuinely, and he will make all of us miserable if we go against his wishes.”

“Damn right I will,” Paranoia grumbled. “Look, I’m just trying to keep Nico safe. Thomas would hate him if he showed up in a dress.”

“That is an illogical and highly improbable outcome,” Logic said. “But I digress. It is a trial trying to get you to listen to reason.” He checked his watch. “Just make sure you get there on time. I have to meet with someone over tea soon, so I will not be present for this date of yours. Don’t destroy Nico’s life while I’m gone.”

“You got it, nerd.”

Logic sank out of the room. Nico turned to the others. “Can you guys leave? I need to get changed.”

“We’ve all got the same junk, Nico,” Creativity called from inside the closet. “Does it really matter if we see you naked?”

Nico grabbed a pillow off his bed and threw it into the closet. “Dude, just get out!”

The pillow came soaring back out the closet doors. “Fine.” Creativity poked his head out through the mess of clothes. “Heart found a tie, by the way.”

He disappeared back into the closet, where he presumably sank out. Heart stepped out of the closet, clutching something in his hands. 

He shuffled over to Nico. “Here.” He set he handful of fabric into Nico’s hands and sank into the floor. 

Nico shot a glare at Paranoia. “You too.”

Paranoia grumbled, but he melted into a puddle of darkness. Nico relaxed, alone for the first time all day. 

He looked down at the tie in his hands. A pattern of yellow hearts decorated the black fabric. 

Nico heaved a sigh and tossed the tie onto his bed with the suit. 

Fifteen minutes later, Nico stood in front of his mirror in the bathroom, dressed to the nines in the suit his facets had picked out. He’d opted not to wear the blazer and instead stuck with the matching waistcoat. He’d combed his hair until he’d finally tamed his unruly curls and slathered some gel in it to keep it in place. The tie had been difficult to deal with, but he managed to tie it with Logic directing him in his head. He’d cleaned his glasses until they shone so he wouldn’t have to wipe them down during the date. 

“You look nice.”

Nico spotted Logic standing behind him in the mirror. “Thanks.”

Logic cocked his head. “But you don’t look happy.” His voice was calmer than usual, less snappy and more smooth. 

“I’m nervous,” Nico said. “This is our first formal date.”

“I’m well aware that you’re nervous,” Logic said. “Paranoia is rampaging through the Mindscape. The whole place looks like a haunted house with those shadows everywhere.” Logic raised a thin brow. “But that’s not what I was talking about.”

Nico tensed. “What do you mean?”

“You’re thinking about Jamie. Nico, Thomas is not Jamie. You’re safe with him. You need to stop comparing the two. Establishing a relationship with him will be good for your mental health.”

“It’s hard not to compare them. I still miss him. And I’m kind of scared. What if he is like Jamie?”

“Yes, because Thomas is _exactly_ like Jamie in every way,” Logic scoffed, voice dripping with sarcasm. Odd. Logic wasn’t usually one to use sarcasm. 

“This is going to be tough because of Paranoia,” Logic continued, “but I can try to rein him in. He is a stubborn little bastard, though, so it might be difficult,” he said, an unfamiliar tone of distaste in his voice. He set a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “Don’t worry about Jamie. Tonight is about you and Thomas.”

Nico took a deep breath. Right. This date was not about Jamie. 

He turned around to face Logic, a “thank you” on his lips, but Logic was gone. Nico glanced back at the mirror, but Logic wasn’t there either. 

He jumped when the doorbell rang. He quickly smoothed down a loose lock of hair and hurried out of the bathroom.

He paused at the front door. He straightened his waistcoat and pushed his glasses up his nose, taking a moment to calm his nerves. Then he grabbed the doorknob and opened the door. 

His heart skipped a beat. Thomas stood at his doorstep in a navy blue suit, complete with a waistcoat and a striped tie. He’d combed his hair back, revealing his bright eyes and flushed face. 

“Hey,” he said, voice a little shaky. “You look... pretty. I mean handsome! Unless you’re okay with being called pretty?” He coughed into his fist. “You look good,” he said finally. 

Nico couldn’t help but smile at Thomas’s bashfulness. “You don’t look too bad yourself, handsome.” He stepped out the door and shut it behind him. “Shall we?” he asked, holding out an arm. 

Thomas’s face somehow got even more red. He looped his arm through Nico’s and they made their way to Thomas’s car together. 

Thomas unhooked his arm from Nico’s and rushed over to the car. He opened the passenger door and stood to the side to let him in. 

“I guess chivalry’s not dead yet,” Nico said with a grin as he stepped into the car. 

Thomas opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but he shut it again. He squeaked something that might have been a “thank you” and shut the door. 

Nico watched through the windshield as Thomas hurried around the car to get to his door. “He’s so cute,” he whispered. 

“Yeah, I know,” Heart’s voice sighed from the backseat. “Look at him.”

“I am looking,” Nico said. 

Thomas opened the driver’s side door and slid into his seat. He’d already told Nico about the restaurant he was planning to take him to, so the drive there was pretty quiet. 

Well, mostly quiet. 

“He’ll think you don’t like him if you don’t say something,” Paranoia said from the backseat. “Talk.”

“They have plenty of time to talk during the date,” Heart said with a smile. “Silence is okay sometimes, you gloomy Gus!”

Heart ruffled Paranoia’s hair—or, tried to. Before Heart could get his hand under the hood, Paranoia bit at his arm. Heart shrieked and scrambled off the seat. He sank out into the floor. Nico couldn’t hold back a giggle at that. 

“What’s so funny?” Thomas asked, glancing over at Nico.

Nico shrugged. “You. You’re cute.”

Thomas spluttered. He looked like he wanted to say something back, but his voice cracked the moment he tried to say something, so he stayed silent. Nico giggled again. He couldn’t help it.

Thomas pulled over and parked. “Here we are.” He hopped out of the car and hurried over to Nico’s side to open the door for him.

Nico smiled as he stepped onto the sidewalk. “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Thomas managed, running a hand through his hair. He looked nervous, but he was smiling.

They walked arm in arm to the door of the restaurant. It sure looked fancy. And expensive.

“I hope you know you’re not paying for this entire date by yourself,” Nico said.

“Oh, it’s okay,” Thomas assured him. “I can pay for it. I can definitely afford something like this.”

Nico caught Logic’s reflection in the front window of the restaurant. “He’s lying,” Logic said, adjusting his glasses.

Nico was surprised to see Logic. Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t be here for the date? However, Nico didn’t want to talk to himself in front of his date. He kept his mouth shut as they walked into the restaurant.

The inside was just as fancy as the outside. Pristine white tablecloths graced every table. An elegant chandelier swung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. The waiters and waitresses all wore dress shirts and bow ties. Nico spotted one of them walk past with a bottle of champagne.

Thomas tensed up next to him. “We’re splitting the bill,” Nico insisted.

“You really don’t have to do that,” Thomas whispered.

“Eh, it’s not a huge deal. You’ve got your acting money, I’ve got my writing money. Between the both of us, we should have enough.”

Thomas visibly relaxed. “Okay. If you really want to.”

They approached the front desk. “Reservation for Thomas Sanders?” Thomas said, his voice shaky.

The receptionist opened up a notebook and turned it towards Thomas. “Sign in here.”

Thomas scrawled his name on the paper. A waiter wandered up to them, and as soon as Thomas finished signing his name, the waiter gestured for Thomas and Nico to follow him. Nico gave Thomas’s arm a reassuring squeeze, hoping it would help him relax. Nico wasn’t very relaxed either, in all honesty, but at least he could handle the social aspect of getting them sat down at their table.

The waiter led them to a table right next to the front window. Nico and Thomas both sat down as the waiter set menus in front of them. “I’ll be back to take your order in a few minutes,” he said before strolling away.

Thomas took a deep breath. “So... how about... uh... sports?”

Nico rested his chin on his hand and gazed at Thomas across the table. “I don’t watch a lot of sports.”

Thomas breathed a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank God. I don’t either. I’m not good at... talking. About things. And stuff.”

“I can tell,” Nico mused, a grin on his face. “When we grabbed lunch the other day, I’m pretty sure we ended up talking about the political climate in Papua New Guinea.”

Thomas’s face flushed. “Ugh, I know. I’m doing my best, okay?”

Creativity popped up behind Nico. “Ask him about his acting career,” he suggested.

“So, have you gotten any big acting roles lately?” Nico asked.

Thomas averted his gaze and fiddled with his tie. “Uh... not really. I actually turned down a pretty big role to go to a friend’s wedding.” He shook his head. “But how about you? How’s your writing thing?”

Nico caught sight of Logic’s reflection in the window again. “He’s deflecting the conversation to you,” Logic mumbled. “How interesting. I wonder if that’s a sore topic for him.”

Creativity looked up at the glass. Oddly enough, he didn’t seem happy to see Logic. “You!” Creativity said. “What are you doing here, you fiend? Leave!”

He hit his wizard staff against the glass. It rippled, and Logic’s reflection vanished.

Nico watched this happen, and then Paranoia popped up. “You didn’t answer his question.”

Nico turned back to Thomas, who was staring on in confusion. “Oh. It’s going okay. Sort of. I haven’t spoken to an actual publisher about getting my stuff published, but I’m working up to it.”

Thomas nodded. “That’s good.” He ran his hand through his hair again. “Anything else going on?”

Paranoia sneered. “Well, for starters, we’re on this date and Nico was seriously considering wearing a dress which could have gotten him hurt or attacked or killed or _worse—”_

“Nuh-uh, none of that,” Creativity said. He patted Paranoia on the head. “Calm down, little butterfly. Everything will be fine. We’re safe here.”

Paranoia growled and snapped at Creativity’s hand. Creativity yelped and snatched it away.

“Not much,” Nico said, turning his attention back to Thomas. “What about you? I want to know more about this YouTube career you’ve got going on. You told me a bit about it last time, but you didn’t go in depth. When did you start?”

Thomas’s eyes lit up. His anxiety seemed to disappear, replaced by pure excitement. He began ranting about the things he’d written and everything he was planning on doing with his friends on his channel. Nico hadn’t seen this side of Thomas often, but it was always nice when Nico got them on a topic that allowed Thomas to be passionate about things like this. He didn’t even stop ranting when the waiter came back and asked what drinks they wanted. Nico ended up ordering water for them both.

As enamoured as Nico was with Thomas’s projects and interests, Nico found his Paranoia wandering. He skulked around the edges of the room, examining what exits were available, what Nico could use as a weapon if someone attacked him, and peering at other people’s food to see if they were poisoned.

While Heart and Creativity had appeared to provide Nico with responses and questions for Thomas, it was still hard to focus on them when he suddenly became painfully aware of every movement Thomas made, scrutinizing his facial expressions for any signs of anger, wondering if Thomas really was this perfect shy person or if he was really a horrible person under a mask of kindness, waiting to get Nico trapped in a loop of love and affection just to keep him under his control and make sure he didn’t do anything he wouldn’t like and god Nico just couldn’t deal with that again he couldn’t he had to leave he had to escape _right now—_

“Nico?”

Nico flinched and nearly fell out of his chair. He righted himself and looked up at Thomas. Thomas stared at him, brows furrowed with concern, but Nico had seen that expression before. It was false sympathy, it had to be.

“No, none of that spiralling.” Logic’s reflection appeared in the window again. “Calm. Being in a relationship will not hurt you. It will do wonders for your mental health once you get over the idea that everyone is out to get you.”

“Everyone is!” Paranoia snapped, shifting from across the room to right beside Nico in a second. “Look, Nico, it’s been fun, _lying_ to yourself about Thomas,” he said, shooting an accusatory glare at Logic, “but we need to go home. I’m pretty sure I saw someone in the back room with a knife.”

“That’s probably just a chef,” Heart said, tugging nervously on his necklace. “Para, it’s fine. Thomas is cute, and nice, and pure, and wholesome, and sweet, and cute, and I’m running out of things to say—”

“The point,” Creativity interrupted, “is that we’re fine.” He pointed his staff at Logic’s reflection. “Now I told you to get out,” he said, fire in his eyes—literally. Tiny purple flames flickered in his irises.

“I’m on your side,” Logic said.

“I don’t care. Out.”

Logic shrugged, but he disappeared. “Now answer Thomas,” Creativity said. “You’ve been silent for at least thirty seconds. Say something.”

“I’m fine,” Nico blurted.

“Are you sure?” Thomas asked, his voice soft. “It took you a while to respond. Are you okay?”

“I’m perfectly fine,” Nico insisted. “Anyway, you were talking about that YouTube series you’re working on?”

Thomas hesitated. “I think I’d rather talk about you.” He smiled softly. “Wanna tell me about your next story?”

Creativity shoved Paranoia aside. “Absolutely!” he squealed. “Nico, please? I don’t get to talk about it much!”

Nico felt rather than saw Paranoia sink out. “Yeah, sure. So, it’s a fantasy story about this warrior queen who has to travel the realm to solve a kingdom wide crisis...”

Nico was hesitant to talk, sure, but Thomas was patient. Creativity’s excitement bubbled up inside Nico, but every time he got too excited, Paranoia appeared to shove it back down, reminding Nico not to get too comfortable. Nico was sure Thomas would have heard enough, but he listened intently, asking questions when Nico faltered and smiling when Nico got excited. Nico had spoken to Thomas about his writing before, but it had only been surface level stuff, like short poems. He never went in depth like this.

Even after the waiter came by with their drinks and asked for their orders (Thomas ordered the chicken parmesan while Nico stuck with a simple salad—he was too nervous to eat a full meal right now), Nico was sure Thomas would take advantage of the disruption to steer the conversation back to himself. But instead, he asked about the book Nico had just been talking about, as if he was actually eager to hear what Nico had to say.

It was all extremely nerve-wracking.

Nico was not used to this kind of feedback. For their past two dates, Nico had tried to keep the conversation about neutral topics, like dumb things they’ve heard about in the news or memes they’ve seen or celebrities and shows they like. Not once had Nico been in a relationship with someone who was actively interested in hearing entire storylines that Nico was writing.

Paranoia lurked behind Nico, whispering that it had to be a trick, that Thomas was luring him into a false sense of security to manipulate him and soon enough he would reveal his true colours and Nico would be stuck all over again. Nico tried to ignore Paranoia’s words, but he was persistent. Even as Creativity twirled about the room, spouting ideas for Nico’s books and urging Nico to talk about them, Paranoia hissed that Nico couldn’t risk getting comfortable here. Danger was everywhere, including right in front of him.

Nico was finally given some relief when the waiter came back with their food, to which Creativity protested and groaned about how he wasn’t done talking yet and Paranoia silently patted Nico’s shoulder, telling him that the danger of talking was past.

However, now there was a new danger: eating. “It could be poisoned,” Paranoia said. “Also, who says Thomas won’t try to control how much you eat like Jamie used to? He’ll definitely judge you if you eat too much in front of him.”

Nico resisted the urge to snap at Paranoia to shut up. He just wanted to be on a date in peace.

He busied himself by picking at his food as Paranoia paced back and forth, cloak swishing around him. Creativity sank out with a disappointed grumble, muttering something about sea monster queens. Heart stood awkwardly nearby. He didn’t seem to know what to do with Paranoia taking the reins.

At least there wasn’t much talking to be done when Nico and Thomas were both supposed to be eating. Nico definitely enjoyed telling Thomas about his stories and poetry, but he couldn’t help but wonder if he talked too long and made Thomas sick of him. It had been a while since Nico last felt this panicked during a date.

After several long minutes of minimal talking, Nico had stabbed his salad with his fork so much, it was less of a salad and more of a vegetable smoothie with croutons. He grit his teeth and set his fork down. He needed a moment alone.

He stood up. “I’m just going to go find a bathroom.”

Thomas smiled and nodded in response. Nico walked away, leaving Heart and Paranoia at the table. He scanned the restaurant for the bathroom. He all but ran through the bathroom door once he found it.

Nico listened for any sign of another person in the stalls, glancing at the floor under the doors for good measure, before he finally took a deep breath. He took off his glasses and turned on the faucet. Running his hands under the water, he splashed his face a couple times to shake himself out of his panic. He took another deep breath and ran his hands over his face. He reached for a paper towel and wiped his face as he shut off the water.

When he looked up at the mirror, he saw Logic standing behind him. “You’re cracking under the pressure,” Logic stated simply.

“Yeah, I know,” Nico snapped. He didn’t bother turning around to look at Logic face to face. “Doesn’t take a genius to notice that.”

“You’re also hungry. You should have eaten.”

“I know that too! You don’t need to point out the obvious!” Nico heaved a frustrated sigh and shoved his glasses back on.

“I know you’re upset, but Paranoia is trying to keep you safe in the only way he knows how. He has good intentions, although he is an annoying little... creature.” Logic scrunched his nose in disgust, as if he was thinking of an entirely different word other than “creature”.

“Thomas is going to judge me no matter what I do,” Nico said. “He’s just going to hate me. There’s no way to avoid that.”

“That’s Paranoia talking,” Logic said. “Paranoia is your fight or flight, but he’s not always right. Your instincts are acting this way because your time with Jamie taught you to walk on eggshells. I know I’ve said this before, but I’ll say it again: Thomas is _not_ Jamie. You’re uncomfortable in an unfamiliar setting, and it’s the first time you’ve been on an official formal date since you broke up with him. You’re on edge. That’s understandable. And even if Thomas doesn’t understand, he’s a kind person who is willing to remove you from the situation if you just ask.” Logic straightened his glasses. “You’ve been stressed all day because you’ve worked yourself into a panic over this date. It would be best if we went home and ordered some pizza.”

“I can’t just leave in the middle of a date,” Nico protested.

Logic smirked, which took Nico aback. He’d never seen that cocky grin on Logic’s face before.

“I never said we had to stop the date,” Logic said. He nodded towards the door. “Now go. If we screw this up, Heart is going to shatter, and we wouldn’t want that.”

Nico glanced back to look at Logic, but he was gone as soon as Nico tore his gaze away from the mirror. He blinked. What was up with Logic and mirrors today?

Nico stepped out of the bathroom. He saw Thomas across the restaurant. Anxiety twisted his stomach into knots, but he took a deep breath and started forward. There was no shame in backing out of this.

He slid back into his seat, trying not to compare his barely touched salad to Thomas’s nearly empty plate. “Hey.”

Thomas smiled. “Hey. You feeling okay, Nico?”

Nico gulped. He tugged on his tie, steeling his nerves for what was to come.

“Iwannagohome,” he blurted.

Thomas blinked. “Say that again, but slower.”

Nico sighed. “I want to go home. Not that I don’t appreciate this... this whole fancy date thing. It’s just...” He ran a hand through his hair. “It’s been months since I last went on a really fancy date, and when I did get to go on them, they were stressful because—well, my ex-boyfriend wasn’t really that nice about it, so I’ve been on edge all day. I kind of want to leave.” He glanced up at Thomas, a little afraid about what response he might get.

Surprisingly, Thomas was still smiling. “It’s okay, Nico,” he said softly. “I understand.”

Nico sighed with relief. “I mean, I still want to have a date. Would it be okay if we just... I don’t know, went and grabbed some coffee or something?”

Thomas nodded. “Sure.” He glanced around the restaurant for a waiter. “Could I get my cheque, please?” he called.

*******

Nico stifled a laugh behind his hand. “Okay, okay, wait, say that again. Your friend Remus does what?”

Thomas took a sip of coffee. “He eats deodorant,” Thomas said with a smile. “Seriously, sometimes I find empty deodorant containers in my bathroom.”

“Does he eat _your_ deodorant?”

Thomas nearly spat out his coffee, which pulled a giggle from Nico’s chest. “No, no, he brings his own,” Thomas spluttered. “He has a certain scent—or flavour, I guess—that he likes. I think he has it custom made or something, I don’t know.”

Nico sipped at his own coffee. “Some of your friends are... strange.”

“Yeah, but I love them. What about you? You got any weird friends?”

Nico shrugged. “Yeah, a few. There’s one that always dresses like a wizard.”

“My friend Janus dresses like a mobster from the twenties. I don’t find that hard to believe.”

Nico glanced out the window of the café they were in. It was getting a bit late, but he didn’t want to leave just yet. Paranoia had calmed down a fair amount. Not completely, but enough to let Nico enjoy being in Thomas’s company.

“A bunch of my friends were helping me get ready for our date tonight,” Nico said. “They... They can be a little overbearing. I guess that’s why I was so stressed.”

Thomas nodded. “Yeah, I get that. My friends can be a little much, too. Well, not Joan. Or Talyn, or Valerie. It’s just the ones that are really, really close to me. Like, so close, they might as well be part of me.”

“I know how that feels.” Nico tapped his fingers on his coffee cup. “Y’know, something that really stressed me out today was that... one of my friends was going through my closet, and he found a dress he wanted me to wear.” Nico laughed, a little bit of nervous shakiness creeping into his voice. “I don’t know why I kept that in my closet.”

Thomas gasped, and Nico’s heart skipped a beat from anxiety. Thomas probably thought that was weird.

“You wear dresses?”

Thomas didn’t look horrified or mad. He was beaming from ear to ear.

“Uh, I have in the past, but I don’t really anymore.”

Thomas dug around in his pocket and brought out his phone. “Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, hang on.”

Nico raised an eyebrow. “What are you doing?”

Thomas turned his phone screen to Nico. “My friend Patton convinced me to buy this a while ago.”

Nico’s face grew warm at the picture on Thomas’s phone. Thomas was wearing a skirt with cute cat paw suspenders. He looked _adorable._

“You look cute,” Nico managed to say. He furrowed his brow. “Why are you wearing glasses?”

Thomas tensed slightly. “Uh, no reason. I thought they would look cute with the outfit.”

“They do,” Nico said, and he meant that. Thomas wearing glasses and a skirt was downright gorgeous.

They both glanced up when they saw someone approach their booth. The cashier of the café had left the counter and walked up to them.

“Sorry, but we’re closing soon,” she said.

Thomas and Nico paid for their coffee and left. Nico was sure to leave a generous tip for the cashier. She looked tired. She deserved something extra.

The car ride back to Nico’s house was quiet, but Nico was grateful for that. He hadn’t gotten any silence all day. It was welcome. Besides, it wasn’t an uncomfortable silence. There was no pressure to talk now that they were going home.

Thomas parked his car in front of Nico’s house. “I had fun,” he said.

Nico unbuckled his seatbelt. “Me too,” he said. He opened his door and stepped out onto the sidewalk. He tugged on his tie, a little nervous. “And thank you. I know you were planning on a big fancy supper and everything, but I really appreciate you being okay with going somewhere else.”

“No prob, Bob,” Thomas said. He cringed at his own words. “Uh, I mean, it wasn’t a big deal. I just want you to be comfortable, y’know? I mean, it wouldn’t be a fun date if everyone was anxious about it.”

“Yeah.” Nico pushed his glasses up his nose. He didn’t close the door yet. He was so tempted to do something else as a quick goodbye, a little show of appreciation for Thomas’s being so understanding, but part of him thought it better not to push his luck.

A little surge of bravery washed over him. He leaned back into the car and kissed Thomas on the cheek. He pulled back. “Thanks again.”

Thomas blinked. “You too?” he blurted.

Nico giggled and stepped back. “I’ll see you.”

“Thank you,” Thomas squeaked. His face turned red as Nico shut the door and walked back up to his house.

Nico entered the house and shut the door behind him. “I kissed him.”

Creativity popped up behind the couch. “You kissed him!”

“You kissed him!” Heart squealed as he ran in from the hallway.

A puddle of darkness formed on the floor, and Paranoia poked his head out of the murk. “You kissed him,” he hissed. His face blushed a bright blue under his hood.

Butterflies fluttered in Nico’s stomach. “Do you think I moved too fast?”

“Yes,” Paranoia said at the same time Creativity said “No.”

Nico turned to Heart. Heart tugged on his locket and bounced up and down on his feet. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “I mean, I like him a lot, but I still love Jamie, and...” He flapped his hands. “I don’t know!”

Creativity patted Heart on the shoulder. “It’s okay, buddy. We’ll figure things out.”

Heart took a deep breath and stilled his hands. “Yeah. For what it’s worth, I think things can work with Thomas. We just... need some time to get used to it.”

Logic glanced up from his spot on the couch, a teacup in his hand and a book in the other. “The date went well, I see?”

Nico sat on the arm of the couch. “Not gonna show up in a mirror this time?”

Everyone in the room fell silent. Creativity shared a nervous glance with Heart. Paranoia dissolved into a puddle of shadows. Logic raised a brow.

“Mirror?” Logic lowered his teacup and book. “When did I show up in a mirror?”

“Like, all day?” Nico said, mildly confused. “You gave me a pep talk in the bathroom at the restaurant. Do... do you not remember that?”

Logic’s expression hardened. “Excuse me, I have to speak with someone.” He stood and sank out, setting his teacup on the coffee table.

Nico gestured to the cup. “Again, with the teacup. Put it in the sink next time.” He glanced back at Creativity. “What was that about?”

Creativity walked over to Nico and wrapped an arm around his shoulders. “Don’t worry about it, Flores. That’s a question for another time. For now...” He swished his purple wizard robes around him. “I have writing to do!” With a flourish of his cloak and a wave of his wizard staff, he disappeared in a swirl of sparkles.

Nico looked down at the puddle of shadows that was Paranoia. “You want to explain anything?”

The shadows condensed into a puddle on the carpet and sank into the floor. Nico huffed. “Heart, got anything to say?”

Heart shuffled his feet on the floor. “Well... I don’t think that’s something we need to talk about right now. You’re tired.” He poked Nico’s belly. “And still hungry. I’ll order some pizza while you go get changed.”

Nico watched as Heart took Nico’s phone from his pocket and started dialing. “Uh, Heart, you’re technically imaginary. No one can hear you but me.”

Heart didn’t listen. He held the phone up to his ear. “Hello, I would like a large pepperoni pizza.”

“Hello?” said the employee on the other end of the line. “Is anyone there?”

“Yeah, me,” Heart said. “Can I have a pizza?”

“Is this a prank call?” the employee muttered.

“No, I want a pizza.”

The other person was silent for a second. “I don’t have time for this.” They hung up.

Heart pouted. “Aww.” He peered at the phone. “Let’s try Dominoes.”

Nico sighed and walked off to his room, leaving Heart with his phone. He’d been wearing this suit for hours. It was time to go change. Whatever the issue with Logic was today, he didn’t have the energy to deal with it right now. That was a problem for future Nico.

*******

Logic crossed his legs. “Impersonating me without my permission? I didn’t think you would be so rude.”

His companion across the table chuckled. “Well, if the mother hen leaves the coop, a wolf might take the chance to swoop in and take a nibble out of one of her chicks. Why, I could have eaten your little chicks right up if I wanted! Of course, they would probably taste bad. Say, do you think Heart would taste better deep fried or baked into a pie?”

“He’s rather sweet,” Logic said. “I would go with pie.” He took a sip of tea. “But why didn’t you ask first? I likely would have let you stand in my place had you asked.”

“Your two little chickies get so loopy when it comes to us,” the other said with a villainous chuckle. “I could have asked my own little hatchling, but Para is a right bastard. He’d peck my eye out if I got close.” Logic’s companion pulled up his sleeve. “He gave me this scar!” he declared gleefully, pointing to a long, jagged mark on his arm. He squinted. “Or maybe that’s a birthmark.”

Logic looked the other facet up and down. “You’re mad.”

He grinned wide. “Isn’t everyone?”

“But why now? Why take my place now?”

The facet sitting across the table gave Logic a crooked smirk. “You’re not stupid, Logic. Just look around.”

Logic gave the room a quick glance. Shadows clung to the corners where the walls met the floor and ceiling. Even the chandelier above them was barely enough to illuminate the room. 

“Para’s getting worse,” the facet mused in a singsong voice, tilting his teacup from side to side. Not a single drop of tea spilled over the rim. “Seeing Jamie again really did a number on our little harmless butterfly.”

“I’m aware.”

The facet grinned as wide as the Cheshire Cat. “Do you know how many of us would kill to have your position of power?”

“I’m aware of that, too.”

“I got a taste of it today. Maybe my hunger for it has become insatiable. Perhaps I might kill you and take your place permanently. Do you think dismemberment would be the most efficient way to dispose of your body?”

Logic sighed. “If I didn’t know any better, I’d say you were in charge of intrusive thoughts rather than Paranoia.”

“You flatter me, Logic dearest!” he cackled. “No, I could never kill you. You’re the only one who doesn’t lose their marbles when they see me.” He tipped his teacup upside down. A handful of marbles came spilling out and rolled across the coffee table.

“It’s not logical to be scared of you.”

The other facet twirled his teacup in his fingers, turning it upside down and right side up again without spilling a drop of tea, which had magically appeared back in the cup after spilling the marbles. “So how did your little discussion with the lion go earlier?”

Logic gestured to a tea stain on the table and the remains of a shattered teacup on the floor. “He wasn’t very happy to see me, obviously. That being said, the conversation was informative.”

“I bet it was. Now is there anything else you wanted to discuss?”

Logic eyed the shadows at the edges of the room. They writhed and shifted as if they were alive. 

He stood. “No. That’s all.”

He strode back to the door that led back to the other side of the mindscape. “Toodles!” the other facet called behind him. “If Para’s still there, tell him he’s a _wonderful_ facet and I’m _so_ glad I’m stuck with him for the rest of Nico’s life!”

Logic straightened his tie. “Will do.”

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for reading! please leave a comment letting me know what you enjoyed and what you would have improved, tell me what you thought, what you think might happen, leave suggestions for what you want to happen- do whatever you want! (you don't need to suggest i have Thomas's sides meet Nico's facets- don't worry, that WILL happen at some point in this series, many of you seem very eager to read that and i'm just as eager to write it!)
> 
> hope you enjoyed <3


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